Folding stool or table



Deg. 13, 1927..

' 1,652,942 E. F. JAMES FOLDING STOOL OR TABLE.

Filed Aug. 5. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dea s, 1927.

E. F. JAM Es FOLDING STOOYL 011 TABLE Filed Auz. 5. 1926 s Sheets-Shet 2 I wen/Z371 Dec. 13, 1927.

1,652,942 E. F. JAMES FOLDING STOOL QR TABLE Filed Aug; 5. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 13, 1927, v

EDWIN- r. James; or A BINGTGN, enlimsaivnma. v

- '1 p asma swoon on Application flled August 5,1926. Serial no. 127,320;

-Myinvention relatesto articles of funn ture such as stools and tables and the principalobjeotofmy invention is to'form' such an article in a manner permitting of'its being' collapsed or folded and compactly assembled', when inits collapsed state, into aform requiring a min mum amount of storage space. I

1 Another object ofmy invention is to oonstruct a stool of two separate elements,* viz a folding frame and aremovable seat. When assembled for use the frame element; is adapted to be spread, for providing a substantial support for the seat element, and the seat element is adapted to be placed upon the frame element in a manner to maintain the frame element in its spread or'open' stateand prevent accidental collapsing of: the frame. When in its compact state the frame element is adapted to be folded and. the seat element is adapted'tofit within the folded frame ele- .mentrin a manner to permit'i of its being con 'veniently. carried from place to place v or storedin a minimum amount of s ace.

Other advantages andthe details of the construction of my invention will be more filll'y disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig lnis. a perspective view of'a stool'emhodying 'the principles of'my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a, detached perspective view of the V ,separate elements constituting a stool c0 11 .structedin accordance with theprinciples of my invention; v

Fig. 3 isias'ectional elevationof the stool illustratedinFigs'. 1 and 2; r Fig.4 is a View of the stool inits collapsed state, illustrating. the elements assembled" for storage or carrying, r v

Fig.5 is a sectional View taken on the line .Figs. 6, and 7 are viewsysimilar t Fig. l,

Figs. 12 anaianiuama amodified form p ofthe'seat element provided with a folding back; and. T

Fig. 14 illustrates the principles ofmy invention as being applied toa table.

Refrringto Figs. 1 to 5" inclusive my improvedstoolcomprises acollapsible supportl in'g frame element 1 and a removahle,'-seat element 2.

Fhe supporting frame-I consists of aof substantially rectangul'ar rigidly constructed frame sections- 3 and 4, each being provided with l'ongitudihal substantially vertically extending leg? members 5", 5- and 6; 6 respectively." The leg; members "515 are connected at their ends-by integral transverse. members 7 and 8;a 1id the leg 'mem bersh", 6* are connected by. their ends by'in tegraltransverse members-'9- and 10.

The leg members 5, 5 and 6, 6' are of. substantially equal lengths and in order, topernut the frame 1 tobe folded; from the form illustrated in Fig. Z-to that illustrated in Figs; 4c and 5; the'transverseumemhers 7" and 8* ofthe frame" section 3 are offset as shown at 11-, inorder that theframe sect-ion 3' can be placed within the frame section 4 and: the transverse members-'7 and 8 in operative engagement 'withthe transverse members 9 and 10' ofthe framesection 4:; I

The framejseo'tions 3i andl are pivotahy attached toeajch other by means ofrivets l2 and-'13 passingthrough the transverse memlegs 5, 5 and 6, 6 are maintained equal and foldingof the frame sections is permitted,

thusthe stool in its open state is steady and 7 level; and when folded the l'egs'r5' and .6; 6

of the frame'section'sfi-l and 4 he parallel V and immediately adjacent to each other and provide an open space I lofdirhensiOllS siiflicient to accommodate the seatfelemB ltQ;

Theseat element-2 comprises a seat proper, 15"',;of"'substant1ally circular formhaving an integral rolled edgefiange,16;; The flange 16 is, provided; with pockets 1 7 'ad'apted a.

accommodate the upper ends of the legs 5, 5v and; 6, 6; when thestool isassembledfor use and thereby. prevent accidental collaps 7 ing on folding, of; theaframeelement 1'. The i desired and the frictional engagement of the to maintain the frame in its spread state.

In Fig. .6, the frames ifi'and AI -flare each internal diameter of the flange 16 is such, relative to the spread of the upper portion ofthe frame 1, that said flange fits snugly over said frame andfrequires .some force to 2 from the frame remove the seat element element 1. p

The .pockets 17 may be dispensed with if flange 16 with the frame 1 be depended upon members 8 and 10*, respectively; for the accommodation of the seat element 2 when the frame is in acollapsed state.

7 Fig. 8 illustrates a frame element comprisingjthree rectangular frame sections 1, 3

and 4:, pivoted to each other at a common pivotal centre 12 and adapted to be folded 'or collapsed in the same general manner as illustrated in Fig. 5.

' Figs. 9' and 10 illustrate a-frame element composed of a plurality of semi-rectangular frame sections 8, 3 {i and 4? havingra common pivot 12?. The framewhen collapsed is in the form of a fan as illustrated inFig.v 10. 7

In Fig. 11, I have illustrateda seat element 2 which is in the form of a square, having a depending flange 16 andbeing shaped at its four corners to form angular portions 17 which function in a manner similar to the pockets '17 of the seat element 2 (Fig. l) for reception of the upper end ot each of the frame sections3 and 4.

In Figs. 12 and.13,I have illustrated the stool as having a folding back rest 20 pivoted at 21 to the. flange 16 :ofithe seat element 2 The seat element 2 is adapted to be placed within the folded'frame element 1 in the manner above described, and when 7 in such position the backrest 20 assumes a position illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 1 2. Theback rest 20 is provided with a depending arm 22 having ears 23 which en'-- gage-the leg portion of one of the frame sections forsteading the backrest and also preventing relative movement between the frame and seat sections.

In Fig.1 1 4, I have illustratedmy invention' as applied to a table. I The construction .isidentical with that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 being of greater dimensions in'proportion to 'a stool, with an additional element 25 secured to theelement'2 whichcorresponds to theseat element 2 in Fig. 1. The element 25 isof greater diameter than the element 2 and functions as a; table top. When folded or collapsed the element 2 lies with "entirelymem'oved therefrom to permit col- .ments of each section thereof lie immediatein the flattened frame element and said frame element lies within the flange 26 of the table top 25. i I

Iclaimi y lfiAn' article of furniturev comprising a collapsible frame member and a top member adapted to fit snugly upon one end of the frame member when said frame mem her is in anextended condition and to be lapse of;framemember; the collapsible frame member compmsing a pair of substantially smnlar sections each of wh1ch con- 'sists of a-pair of spaced leg elements anda 1y adjacent the leg elements of the other frame section; saidtop member comprising 7 a substantially flat portionhaving a depending flange" extending entirely around said circular hat portion and adapted to gripthe outer side of said leg elements'of the frame member adjacent one end thereof when the frame is in an extended conditiong said top 1 member beingof such dimensions as'to fit within the open unobstructed centre of the 1 frame member when'the frame is in a collapsed conditiom 7 I r 2.,An article of furniture comprising a collapsible frame member and a top member adapted'tofit snuglyupon', one end of the framei member when said frame member is man extended condition and to-be entirely removed therefrom to permit collapse of said frame memberithe collapsible frame member comprising a'pair of substantially similar 11 sections each of which consists of a pair of spaced leg elements and a pair of transverse elements integrally connecting the said leg elements immediately adjacent the extreme ends thereof, each of said. frame sections having a substantially rectangular formation outlined by said leg and transverse elements and v providing an open and unobmember; means for pivotally connecting each adjacent pair of transverse elements on a plvotal centre line common to both pairs of adjacent transverseelementspermitting l said frame member to be collapsed to a state wherein the leg elements of each section thereof lie immediately adjacent the leg elements of the other frame section; said top member comprising a substantially flat portion having a depending flange extending entirely around said circular flat portion and adapted to grip the outer sideof said leg elements of the frame member adjacent one end thereof when the frame is: in an extended condition; pockets formed in said'depending flange into which said leg elements are adapted to fit to maintain said frame Vmember in an extended condition; said top member. being of such dimensions as to fit within the open'unobstructed centre of the l frame member when the frame is in a col- I lapsed condition.

3; An article of furniture comprising a' collapsible frame member and a top member adapted to fit snugly upon one end of the frame member when said frame member is ,in an extended condition and'to be entirely removed therefrom to permit collapse of said frame member; the collapsible frame said leg elements immediately adjacent the tions having a substantially rectangular extreme ends thereof, each of said frame secj to receive the said top member therewithin s when, the same is entirely removed from said frame member; means for pivotally connectmg each ad acent pair of transverse elements on'a pivotal centre line common to both pairs of adjacent transverse elements permitting said frame member to be collapsed to a state wherein the leg elements of each section thereof lie immediately adjacent the leg elements of the other frame section; an offset formed in one of each ofjtheadjacent pairs of transverseelements to facilitate the. collapsing of said frame member; said top member comprising a substantially'flat portion having a depending flange; extending entirely around said circular flat portion and adapted to grip the outer side of said leg elements of the frame member adjacent one end thereof when the frame is in an extended condition, said top member being of such dimensions as to fit within the 0 en unobstructed centre of the frame mem er when the frame is in acollapsed condition.

EDWIN r; JAMES. 

